MLB Trade Deadline: Red Sox Legend’s Grandson Returning To Fenway Park

Once again, there is a Yastrzemski playing in the American League. The San Francisco Giants traded outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to the Kansas City Royals Thursday before the MLB trade deadline. Yastrzemski is the grandson of Boston Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, who ended his Hall-of-Fame career in 1983.

This means Mike Yastrzemski will return to Fenway Park on Monday, when the Royals visit Boston for a three-game series.

In 2019, when he first visited the ballpark as a big-league player, the Red Sox hosted a Yastrzemski family reunion, with Mike catching the ceremonial first pitch from Carl.

While playing for the Giants, Mike Yastrzemski took the field at Fenway for six games and batted .300 in Boston with a pair of home runs.

Yastrzemski, 34, is hitting .231 this season with eight home runs and 28 RBIs. In seven MLB seasons with San Francisco, Yastrzemski hit .238 with 114 home runs.

Carl Yastrzemski spent 23 years patrolling left field for the Red Sox, amassing 452 home runs and 3,419 base hits, making him a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The 18-time All-Star won seven Gold Glove Awards and the 1967 American League MVP, leading the “Impossible Dream” Red Sox to the World Series.

The Royals plan to platoon Mike Yastrzemski in right field, noting his ability to hit right-handed pitchers. He is slashing .254/.366/.393 this year against right-handers.

“You get to that last hour and you start going through what’s still available, it was a late trade,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, according to MLB.com’s Anne Rogers.

“In San Francisco’s case, it seemed like they were willing to move players, so the players with expiring contracts are very likely to be moved. You just continue to stay on that path and run down the list,” Picollo added.

According to Spotrac, Yastrzemski is making $9.25 million this season and will be a free agent following the World Series.